Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

This gluten-free strawberry cake is made from scratch with fresh strawberries reduced down to a thick, concentrated puree. No artificial strawberry flavoring or extracts needed, just real strawberries for authentic flavor. Topped with strawberry buttercream and decorated with fresh berries, it’s perfect for birthdays, baby showers, or any spring and summer celebration.

The secret to this cake’s light, fluffy texture is a combination of gluten-free flour and cornstarch, which mimics cake flour. The fresh strawberry reduction is mixed directly into the batter, creating a tender pink cake that stays moist for days. Add a touch of red food coloring for a vibrant pink color, or skip it for a more natural look.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Light and fluffy texture – Cornstarch mixed with gluten-free flour mimics cake flour for a tender crumb.
• Made with fresh strawberries – Real strawberry puree (no artificial flavoring) gives this cake authentic strawberry flavor.
• Perfect for celebrations – The pretty pink color makes it ideal for birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers, Mother’s Day, or Easter.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Reduce Strawberries to Concentrate Flavor

Simmering fresh strawberries with sugar and lemon juice reduces them down to 3/4 cup of thick puree. This concentrates the strawberry flavor so you get real fruit taste in every bite, no artificial extracts needed. The reduction should be very thick, almost jam-like. Let it cool 5-10 minutes before mixing into the batter.

• Fresh strawberries – Use ripe, in-season strawberries for the best flavor. Off-season or underripe strawberries won’t have enough sweetness or flavor, and your cake will taste bland. Look for bright red, fragrant berries. Summer strawberries work best.
• Gluten-free flour blend – I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour for this recipe. It already includes xanthan gum. Other flour blends may not work the same way since I haven’t tested them.
• Cornstarch – I used cornstarch to lighten up the cake batter. Don’t skip this ingredient otherwise your cake will be dense.
• Sour cream – I love to use sour cream in cake recipes to make them really moist. You could substitute milk if you want, but it will change the consistency slightly.
• Red food dye (optional)– Gives the cake a vibrant pink color. The strawberries alone create a light brown-pink color. Use gel food coloring (more concentrated) or liquid food coloring. Check that it’s gluten-free if needed.

Why I Include Metric Measurements

For best results, use a food scale and follow the metric measurements stated in the recipe card. Baking with a food scale is far more accurate for dry ingredients, especially gluten-free flour and cornstarch that can vary easily depending on the way you scoop it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

This gluten-free strawberry cake is so easy to make with a few simple steps. Follow the step-by-step instructions with the matching photographs to help you make this gluten-free cake perfectly every single time.

Watch for the thickness of the fresh strawberry purée, the cake batter consistency and the pink coloring of the cake batter after adding the food dye to the batter.

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

Make the strawberry reduction and let cool slightly before using. Add the sour cream, milk, and strawberry reduction to a bowl or measuring cup. Add the gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a bowl. Mix together. Set aside. Cream together the butter and the granulated sugar. Add the vanilla extract and the egg, one a time, mixing in between each addition. Add the 1/3 of the gluten-free flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Add 1/2 of the strawberry sour cream mixture and mix until combined. Repeat with 1/3 of the gluten-free flour, remaining 1/2 of the strawberry mixture, and finish with the last 1/3 of the gluten-free flour mixture. Add red food dye if desired. Stir until combined. Pour the strawberry cake batter into two round cake pans that are lined with butter, parchment paper and gluten-free flour. Bake for 28-33 minutes, until the cake is cooked through. Let cool completely. Frost with strawberry buttercream and decorate with fresh strawberries, if desired.

Recipe FAQs

Is strawberry cake gluten-free?

Typically strawberry cake and other cakes are not gluten-free due to the flour that is used in the cake. Instead, we made this strawberry cake gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour blend that is meant to be substituted 1-for-1 with all-purpose flour.

What frosting goes best with strawberry cake?

For best results, use the strawberry buttercream recipe that is provided in the recipe card to get the most strawberry flavor in each bite.

Expert Tips

• Prepare pans properly for clean release . Butter the pan (sides and bottom), line bottom with parchment paper, butter the parchment again, then dust with gluten-free flour and shake out excess. This prevents sticking every time.
• Cool completely before frosting. If the cake is even slightly warm, the buttercream will melt and slide off.
• Use in-season strawberries . Ripe, summer strawberries have the most flavor. Off-season strawberries will result in a bland cake no matter how much you reduce them.

Storage Instructions

• Storage: Store frosted cake at room temperature in an airtight container 3-4 days. Keep unfrosted cake layers covered with plastic wrap.
• Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake layers tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting. Freeze individual slices of frosted cake—place on sheet pan and flash freeze 1 hour, then wrap individually and store in freezer-safe bag up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Thaw frozen slices at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions

This gluten-free strawberry cake is best served topped with strawberry buttercream (recipe included in the recipe card). The strawberry frosting makes the strawberry flavor shine through in every bite. For a different twist, try chocolate cream cheese frosting for chocolate-strawberry cake, or use whipped cream for a lighter strawberry shortcake-style cake. If using a different frosting, add a layer of strawberry coulis between the cake layers for extra strawberry flavor. Serve with fresh strawberry ice cream on the side or layer it in the cake for an ice cream cake.

More gluten-free cakes to try

All Cakes

• 

  Gluten-Free Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

• 

  Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

• 

  Gluten-Free Chocolate Mug Cake

Did you make this recipe?

I’d love to know! Please rate it and leave a comment below. You can also share your pictures and tag @adashofmegnut on Instagram.

Method

To make the strawberry reduction:

1. 1

   Add the quartered 1 lb strawberries, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to a saucepan.

2. 2

   Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and then turn down to a simmer.

3. 3

   Let cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and is reduced down to about 3/4 cup of strawberry reduction. It will be very thick.

4. 4

   Let the strawberry reduction cool for 5-10 minutes before using.

To make the strawberry cake:

1. 5

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and line two 8-inch cake rounds with parchment paper. Dust with gluten-free flour, tapping off any excess. Set aside.

2. 6

   In a large bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups gluten-free flour blend, ⅓ cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking sodaa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

3. 7

   In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup whole milk, and cooled 3/4 cup of strawberry reduction until combined. Set aside.

4. 8

   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add softened 1 cup unsalted butter. Mix until the butter is smooth.

5. 9

   Add 1½ cups granulated sugar and cream together for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy.

6. 10

   Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition. Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

7. 11

   Add about ⅓ of the gluten-free flour mixture to the bowl, mixing just until combined. Scrape down the bowl and add ½ of the strawberry sour cream mixture and mix until combined.

8. 12

   Repeat with ⅓ of the gluten-free flour, remaining ½ of the strawberry mixture, and finish with the last ⅓ of the gluten-free flour mixture. Mix just until no more streaks of flour remain, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed so that everything is combined.

9. 13

   If desired, add red or pink food coloring until it has reached the level of pink that you want. Some of the pink color will bake off so add just a shade or two darker than desired.

10. 14

    Pour the strawberry cake batter into the two prepared cake pans.

11. 15

    Bake at 35°0F for 28-33 minutes, until the cake is cooked through. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. When removed, a few moist crumbs should be on the toothpick.

12. 16

    Let the cakes cool completely before frosting with strawberry buttercream.

To make the strawberry buttercream:

1. 17

   Add 1 cup freeze-dried strawberriess to a food processor. Process until finely ground. Set aside.

2. 18

   Add 1 cup unsalted butter to a large mixing bowl.

3. 19

   Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until smooth.

4. 20

   Add the finely ground freeze-dried strawberries to the butter and mix until combined.

5. 21

   Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon salt and mix until combined.

6. 22

   Gradually add in 4 cups powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, mixing in between. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure it is all mixed in.

7. 23

   Add 2 tablespoons whole milk and mix until it is a pipeable consistency. You don’t want the buttercream to be too stiff that it is difficult to spread on the cake, but also not too loose that it will slide around on the cake. Add more milk if needed.

To assemble the cake:

1. 24

   Place one layer of strawberry cake on a serving plate or platter. Add dollops of strawberry frosting on top and smooth with a spatula.

2. 25

   Place the other strawberry cake layer on top of the frosting.

3. 26

   Then, do a thin layer (crumb coat) of frosting on the cake to trap in all of the crumbs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to make it easier to frost. Then, go back and frost the cake with a thicker layer of frosting.

4. 27

   Pipe decorations on top and garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.